NRS704.6873. Adoption of regulations regarding telecommunication service furnished to certain public facilities, providers of health care, low-income persons and rural, insular and high-cost areas.

      1.  The Commission shall adopt regulations that require each telecommunication provider furnishing service to:

      (a) An elementary or secondary public school; or

      (b) A public library,

Ê to establish discounts in the rates for the telecommunication services that the provider furnishes to that school or library. The amount of the discount must be determined by the Commission in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 254.

      2.  The Commission shall adopt regulations that require each telecommunication provider furnishing service to:

      (a) Public or private nonprofit providers of health care which serve persons in rural areas; or

      (b) Persons with low income and persons in rural, insular and high-cost areas,

Ê to ensure that such providers of health care and persons have access to telecommunication services that are reasonably comparable to those services available in urban areas and that the rates for such services charged by the telecommunication provider are reasonably comparable to those charged in the urban areas, to the extent required by the provisions of 47 U.S.C. § 254.

      3.  The Commission shall adopt regulations which set forth the requirements for eligibility for:

      (a) Persons with low income to receive a reduction in rates for telephone service pursuant to NRS 707.400 to 707.500, inclusive. The regulations adopted pursuant to this paragraph must provide that:

             (1) An eligible provider shall provide a reduction in rates for telephone service if the income of a person’s household is at or below the greater of:

                   (I) The percentage of the federally designated level signifying poverty for a household of that size specified by 47 C.F.R. § 54.409, as that section existed on June 28, 2012; or

                   (II) The percentage of the federally designated level signifying poverty for a household of that size specified by the Commission; and

             (2) The percentage of the federally designated level signifying poverty specified pursuant to subparagraph (1) is applicable to all eligible providers.

      (b) Small-scale providers of last resort to apply to receive payments from the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service with regard to rural, insular and high-cost areas.

      (c) Competitive suppliers that are providers of last resort to apply to receive payments from the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service with regard to rural, insular and high-cost areas.

      4.  Any regulations adopted pursuant to this section and NRS 704.040 regarding the availability of telephone service must:

      (a) Be consistent with the applicable provisions of 47 U.S.C. §§ 214 and 254;

      (b) Define rural, insular and high-cost areas;

      (c) Establish nondiscriminatory eligibility requirements for all small-scale providers of last resort that apply to receive payments from the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service with regard to rural, insular and high-cost areas; and

      (d) Allow competitive suppliers which are providers of last resort and which meet the eligibility requirements established by the Commission to apply to receive payments from the fund to maintain the availability of telephone service with regard to rural, insular and high-cost areas.

      5.  As used in this section:

      (a) “Eligible provider” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 707.440.

      (b) “Household” has the meaning ascribed to it in 47 C.F.R. § 54.400(h), as that section existed on April 2, 2012.

      (c) “Income” has the meaning ascribed to it in 47 C.F.R. § 54.400(f), as that section existed on April 2, 2012.

      (Added to NRS by 1997, 1902; A 2007, 706; 2013, 201)